The Super Mario Bros. Movie Appears to Have Influenced a Major Mario Kart 9 Character's Redesign

Nintendo's recent reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart 9 has sparked excitement, but one character's redesign has caught the eye of fans: Donkey Kong. While most characters in the Mario Kart 9 trailer looked familiar, Donkey Kong’s appearance is noticeably different, seemingly inspired by his design in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

For years, Donkey Kong's design remained consistent across various titles like Mario Kart 8, Mario Tennis, and Donkey Kong Country Returns. However, The Super Mario Bros. Movie introduced a revamped look, and Nintendo appears to be integrating this updated design into its games.

The console reveal trailer, while primarily focused on the Switch 2's aesthetics, hinted at several features: backward compatibility, new Joy-Con buttons, and confirmation of a controller-as-mouse theory.

While a 2025 release window has been announced, the Nintendo Switch 2 is unlikely to arrive before June. This is due to numerous hands-on events planned worldwide, with registration opening shortly.